1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a looping apparatus for looping coiled material before feeding it to a pressing machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the primary process line of a pressing machine, the material to be worked, which is coiled, is fed a predetermined distance intermittently into the pressing machine while at the same time a coil of the material is unwound by an uncoiler. Thus, usually a loop of the material is formed before being fed to an intermittent feeding device such as a roller feeder or a leveler feeder.
FIGS. 1 to 3 show a primary process line of the conventional press using a leveler feeder as an intermittent feeding device.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example in which a loop 1a of the coil material 1 is formed below the uncoiler 2. In this case a hole 3 is dug in the ground to allow for a loop 1a. The coil material 1 is continuously unwound by the uncoiler 2 and is sent via loop 1a to a leveler feeder 4 which corrects the winding strain of the material and intermittently impels the coil material a predetermined distance and feeds it into the press 5.
FIG. 2 shows an example where a loop 1a is formed behind the uncoiler 2. A loop guide 6 is provided to form a predetermined size of loop 1a.
FIG. 3 shows an example where a loop 1a is formed off to the upper rear of the uncoiler 2.
In either case, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the conventional primary process line of the pressing machine is inevitably long.